Jittrapon Jirakulsomchok is an Innovation Developer at the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization), or “NIA”. He works directly with SPACE-F, Thailand’s first dedicated international FoodTech incubator and accelerator program, where he supports budding entrepreneurs to develop their innovative products and grow their businesses by providing access to public and private funding, linkage to industry partners, universities, research and technology organizations (RTOs), relevant government agencies, and other ecosystem supporters. Moreover, he oversees the Thematic Innovation Granting scheme, where he scouts and screens high-impact innovation projects that contribute to the competitiveness enhancement of Thailand’s AgriFood industry.

Jittrapon has a master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Tokyo, where he nurtured his deep curiosity in life science, and its extensive application on health and well-being. He later developed his interest in innovation financing and sustainable business development particularly in BioTech and FoodTech spaces. He strongly believes that innovation will be the key to sustainable development of economy and society in the coming decades.

The National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) or “NIA”, under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, plays the leading role in the development of Thailand’s innovation ecosystem. It takes a broad-based, multi-disciplinary and systemic approach in fostering, facilitating, and promoting the creation, utilization, and adoption of both strategic innovation and industry innovation, which, in turn, will enhance national productivity, encourage economic restructuring and social development as well as promoting national competitiveness. NIA works closely with industrial clusters both at the policy and operational levels, promoting innovation culture and building up the national innovation system, with a broader aim to transform Thailand into an innovation-driven economy.